Chapter 3

Marty was nervous. He didn’t know why but he was. He doesn’t even know what he should say to Brenden. He keeps asking himself why be nervous, this is Brenden Morrow, his close friend and neighbor for nearly 9 years. He is the one who introduced Gabby to Marty. Why in the world is he so dang nervous? Breathe, Marty, breathe, Marty thought to himself. He was starting to feel like he was going to throw up or even worse hyperventilate.

“Hey, Marty, you okay?” Brenden asked.

“Yeah, sure. Okay, I guess not. I don’t know what to say or do. I am nervous,” Marty mumbled.

“Ah, Marty. You are not making any sense. What is going on?”

“Can we talk in private?”

“Yeah sure, come on.”  Brenden got up as Marty did too and they walked out of the locker room and went towards their cars. “Meet  me up at the Starbucks by our place.”

“Okay.”

Both men got into their cars respectively and drove off. They got to Starbucks as they parked their cars near one another and got out, locking their doors. They walked inside.

Brenden and Marty ordered their drinks and got them as they sat down at the table, near a window where no one could see them. Marty sipped on his ice tea as he looked out the window and tried to wonder if there was a beautiful city like Dallas was. He wonder if he’ll ever find that city that’ll accept him like Dallas did for the past year.

“Marty,” Brenden called out.

“Yeah, I am here.”

“No, you are not,” Brenden called him out. “You have been dazing in and out. What is going through your mind right now?”

“Everything is, Bren. I don’t know if I am ready to leave Dallas and move onto a different city.”

“Marty, when you the time is right, you will. I promise when you leave, we’ll still keep in contact. You can IM or call me and we can chat online or on the phone. Gabby can talk to Abby if she wants to.”

“Brenden, that’s what I wanted to ask you. I was hoping for us to keep contact.”

“Marty, you didn’t have to ask. You and me are best friends and doesn’t matter if we are on a different teams we will still be friends.”

“Thanks, Brenden.”

“You are welcome, Marty. You were there for me and Bryelle when we lost Sarah. Without you, I might have quit and ran away from Bryelle. I had to realize with your help, that Bryelle needed me and so did my team.”

“Brenden, you needed me and Gabby. Sarah’s death wasn’t your fault and she should have not died but she did cause some idiots killed her, not you. You still miss her don’t you?”

“Yeah, I do. My word, Marty. She was my life and I loved her. Abby is trying her hardest but I just don’t feel that I am ready to fall in love yet.”

“Abby loves you, Brenden but you do need to do what’s right for you and Bryelle. You need to look out for her first and make sure she has her daddy.”

“I know, Marty. It’s hard for me to realize what’s right but I will know what to do when the time is right.”

“Yes, you will, buddy.”

“I am going to miss these talks.”

“Me too but you can call me anytime you need to talk.”

“Thank you and I will. I guess this goodbye for now.”

“Yeah it is.”

“Bye, Bren. Going to miss you.”

“Going to miss you too, Mart.”

Both men got up as they hugged before letting go and heading to their respective cars. Marty drove back to his place and parked into his spot as he got up and walked to his door. He unlocked it, shut it and then locked it back up. He threw his wallet and keys on the counter and walked over to the couch as he sat down and propped his feet up on the ottoman, looking at the view of Dallas. He was memorized by the city lights and everything surrounding it. He was going to miss this place, badly.

*****

A few minutes later, Gabby came inside the condo by unlocking the door and then shut it by locking it again. She saw Marty sleeping on the couch with a pillow behind his head and a blanket, a green one that Gabby had given for Christmas, on. She walked over as she sat down on the couch as she took the pillow behind his neck and put it on her lap as Marty got up and then laid back down on the couch as he put his head on Gabby’s lap. She took the blanket and put it on top of Marty’s body. “Sleep, baby.”

“When did you get here?” Marty asked, sleepily.

“I just got here. You tired.”

“Yeah, very. It has been a long day for me….emotional as well.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean memories just kept flooding through my mind. When we first met to Brenden telling us about Sarah’s death to my argument with Nieuwendyk to you telling me you are resigning. Just every memory came up, Gabby and I don’t know why they are. I don’t want to leave. I really don’t.”

“Mart, you don’t want to leave but you have to prove to everyone that you can play and be the best. You can keep those memories and remember your times here cause you deserve to.”

“Gabby, you are amazing and I will do that. You are going to be with me every step of the way. That is why I am glad that we are going to be together.”

“Me, too, Marty.”

“I love you so much, baby.”

“I love you too.” Gabby leaned down and shared a kiss with Marty.

Gabby and Marty rested on the couch thinking about the future with one another and their future with a new city, team and life. They had time to think as they wanted to spend the summer with their families and wait for offers from Marty’s agent.